Legion signs defender Collin Smith

In yet another late preseason signing, and in line with Twitter rumors from Dallas yesterday, the Legion has signed right back Collin Smith on a season-long loan from FC Dallas of MLS.

Collin is a Dallas Homegrown player. For those unfamiliar with the term, that’s one of MLS’ mind-numbingly confusing roster rules. Designating a player as a Homegrown means a team can add that player to its senior roster in a “supplemental slot” and not have the player’s salary count against the salary cap. To be a Homegrown, a player must have been in the club’s academy for at least a year. There are a few other rules around the concept, but that’s basically it.

Collin is actually from Jacksonville. FL, but has lived in Dallas for most of his teens (he’s 19). He also has a preexisting Alabama connection, as his parents are UA alums. Since 2019 he has played for North Texas SC, FC Dallas’ reserve squad, which was in USL League One and last year in MLS Next Pro. Over 4 years he made an impressive 68 appearances. That also means he was a former teammate of Matthew Corcoran, with whom of course he is now reunited.

There is not much in the way of video on him that I can find, but Jose Carmona of the Big D After Dark podcast told me on Twitter yesterday that Collin has been migrating from right wing to right back over the last 2 years. Most importantly, he told me that Collin is super fast. That of course is precisely the attribute the Legion lost when Jonny Dean moved to Chicago. Obviously, he’s still very young, but bringing him on board is a continuation of the Legion’s apparent intention to invest in youth this season, and he could very well be that final missing piece we need.